Steam heating apparatus



p 1942- R. B. PRENTICE STEAM HEATING APPARATUS Filed July 29, 1938Inventor.-

Patented Sept. 29, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE STEAM HEATINGAPPARATUS Rudolph B. Prentice, Portland, Oreg.

Application July 29, 1938, Serial N0. 221,961 25 Claims. (01. 237-47) Myinvention relates to improvements in steam heating apparatus requiringelevation of the condensate for return to the source.

The principal object of my invention is the provision of means devoid ofvalves and other mechanical moving parts to return the condensate to theboiler with greater force than normally accrues by gravity drainage.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent in thefollowing discourse wherein the construction, manner of operation, andparticular advantages thereof, are explained.

Figure 1 is a diagram representing the essential elements of myinvention.

Figure 2 is a diagram representing a variant manner of piping thedevice.

Figure 3 is a diagram illustrating a second variation in specific formof the device.

Figure 4 is a diagram illustrative of the man ner of attaching thedevice embodying my invention to an ordinary system to be used incombination therewith.

In Figure l the numeral 1 indicates a boiler from which steam isconducted through the steam pipe 2 to a connection 3 with the U-tube 4receiving condensate from the radiator 5. A riser 6 connects the U-tube4 above the connection 3 with a boiler feed loop 1 and at 9 is joinedwith a steam main 8 which conducts steam to the radiator from which theair may be expelled through an ordinary air-valve III.

The steam pressure from the boiler I transmitted through the steam pipe2 to the U-tube 4 sustains a water column [2 at approximately the sameheight as the column II in the boiler feed loop 1 adjacent the boiler.The steam entering the loop 4 at the point 3 separates from thecontained column a slug l3 of some weight less than that of the columnsH and 12 which is delivered over into the column II to flow back intothe boiler by force of gravity. The steam following the slug I3 willpass through the connection 9 and thence to the radiator 5.

The condensate from the radiator 5 increases the height of the column 12and water is forced into the stream of flowing steam at the confluencethereof at 3 and forcibly delivered tothe elevated position of thecolumn 1. Thus at regular intervals the condensate is raised in the formof slugs as l3 of varying quantity so that the water level'in the boileris maintained at substantially the same level whether the radiation besituated below the boiler water level or not.

The relative vertical dimensions of the loops 4 and I are of especialimportance. The boiler feed loop I is longer than the loop 4 to provideagainst drainage of the loop 1 when the steam in the system condensesand forms a vacuum in the riser 6. As this system is proportioned, this'void is filled by air or other gases which will be drawn through theloop 4 and distributed to the boiler,

I, pipe 2, and pipe 6, in one manner of operation as when a valve (notshown), which may be interposed in the pipe 8 before the radiator 5 asconventionally practiced, maybe closed.

If the system has no valves other than the thermostatic valve at 10 asshown in Figure 1, the vacuum in the boiler is satisfied as follows: Airenters the system through the vent I0, passes through the radiator 5,thence through the pipe 8, through the riser 6, the steam feed pipe 2,-and finally into the boiler I, carrying with it such water in the loop 4which stands above the juncture of the pipes 2 and 6. In accordance withengineering practice this water would be fed into the bottom of theboiler through the conventional boiler equalizer as 26 in Fig. 4.

The provision of an upper chamber l8 shown in Figure 3 takes care ofthis initial volume of water until the system clears itself bytransmission to this chamber I8 of a substantial portion of the boilerpressure through the riser l'l in Figure 3 to allow of drainage backinto the boiler by force of gravity through the boiler-feed loop.

E rperimentshave revealed that the precise form of the connection 3 doesnot make any substantial difference to the manner of operation. Forexample, Figure 3 illustrates a variant form of the device differingfrom the typical form shown in Figure 1 in the form of the chamberemployed to entrain the water at the lower end of the riser 6 and in theform of theupper chamber employed to separate the steam and water.

I the form of the apparatus shown in Figure 3, a sealed receiver 15 issupplied with the initial steam from the pipe 16 comparable to the pipe2 of Figure 1, the riser l1 extends within this chamber I5 and to alevel above the bottom of the chamber I8, the boiler feed loop I9 istaken from the bottom of the chamber I8 and the steam main 20 from thetop thereof. A water column 2|, comparable to the column l2 in Figure 1,forces the water into entrainment with the steam entering the riser I!at the lower end thereof just above the water level 22 within thechamber I5.

In Figure 2 a system is shown which differs from that in Figure 1 onlyby the interconnection of the steam main 8 with the leg 23 of the U-tube 4 in Figure 1 to produce the equalizer 24 radiators 32 and 33,contemplates the substitution for the boiler shown in Figure 2 of thedrip 30 which latter stands in its place and stead and the radiators 32and 33 are served by the device precisely the same as if the boiler werelocated at the place of the drip 30. V r

In this latter use the device has great value in building up the head ofthe return whether the radiation be situated below the boiler waterlevel or whether a sluggish return is the result of any other conditionas for example an unusually long and flat run.

It will be apparent that many applications of steam heat withoutaccessory mechanical pumping equipment are made possible and greateconomies of fuel promised inthe full utilization of the device.

Although the apparatus shown and described is designed for applicationto steam heating systems, it will be apparent that many other uses arepractical wherein two fluids of diiTering densities or gravities aredesirably associated in this general arrangement, whether one of thefluids is a liquid and the other a gas, or whether both fluids areeither gaseous or liquid. As a means of transferring heat from a higherto a lower level the system and method has application to the practiceof refrigeration where volatile and other mobile liquids and fluids withcritical temperatures below that of water are employed. As a one leg ofeach of which communicates with said source of steam and said steamusing means respectively, a riser pipe connecting the remaining legs ofsaid U-tubes, a steam tube connecting said source with the lower end ofsaid riser pipe, and a steam tube connected at opposite ends with theupper end of said riser pipe and with said steam using meansrespectively.

4. A steam heating system comprising, a source of steam, steam usingmeans, two U-tubes one leg of each of which communicates with saidsource of steam above the water-line therein and said steam using meansrespectively, a riser pipe connecting the remaining legs of saidU-tubes, a steam tube connecting said source with the lower end of saidriser pipe, and a steam tube connected at. opposite ends with the upperend of said riser pipe and with said steam using means respectively.

5. A steam heating system comprising, a source of steam and a steamusing means, two U-tubes situated at difierent levels one leg of thelower one of which communicates with said steam using means and one legof the higher one of which s end to said radiators to receive thecondensate lower portion thereof to the remaining end of means ofpumping fluids of highly corrosive or a poisonous properties it affordsa sealed apparatus devoid of working parts.

Having described my invention what I claim is:

1. Apparatus for injecting liquids into a source of gas under pressurecomprising, means containing a liquid column, means to maintain a bodyof liquid in open communication with the bottom of said liquid columnand with said source, means containing a second liquid column open atthe top to theatmosphere to receive liquid for injection, means tocontain a second body of liquid in open communication with the bottom ofsaid second liquid column, a duct to conduct gas from said source tosaid means containing the said second body of liquid, a second duct inopen communication at the bottom withthe surface of said second body ofliquid and at the top with the upper part of said first liquid column,and means to allow gas to escape from the upper part of said secondduct.

2. Steam apparatus comprising, a boiler, a steam using means, adepending pipe loop connected to the steam using means forreceivingcondensate' therefrom, a riser pipe connected to theremainingend of said loop, a depending boiler feed pipe loop connectedbetween said boiler and said riser pipe, a steam pipe conducting steamfrom said boiler to the leg of said condensate loop communicatingwithsaid riser pipe, and a steam main. conducting steamfrom said riserpipe to said steam-using means. k

3. A condensate return system comprising; a source of steam, steam usingmeans, two U-tubes said condensate U-trap, a steam pipe to conduct steamfrom said boiler tosaid condensate U-trap at-the lower portion of saidriser, and a steam pipe to conduct steam from the upper portion ofsaidriser pipe to said radiators.

'7. A steam heating system comprising, a steam boiler, radiators, aU-tube connected at one end to saidboiler, afsecond u-tube connected atone end to receive the condensate from said radiators, a riserconnecting the remaining ends of said U- tubes, a steam pipe connectedto said boiler and to said second U-tube below the lower end of saidriser at a place below the level of the accumulated condensate in theopposite leg thereof, and a steam pipe connecting the upper portion ofsaid riser to. said radiators. V 8. A steam heating. system comprising,a source of steam,,radiation means, chamber means situated above thewater line. of said source of steam, a U-.tube situated below saidradiation means and. 'saidsource of'steam connected at the upper end ofone legto said radiation means, a steam pipe connecting said source ofsteam with said U-tube, medially of the extremities of the remaining legthereof, ariser pipe connecting the said last-mentioned'leg of saidU-tube to the said chamber. means, a boiler feedpipe connecting saidchamber means to said source of steam, and a steam main to. conductsteam. from said chamber means. td said.radiation means.

9. A condensatereturn system comprising, a source of steam, steam usingmeans, two U-tubes one leg of each. of--which communicatesw-ith saidsourceofsteam and: said steam using means respectively, a riser pipeconnecting the remaining legs of said U-tubes, a steam tube connectingsaid gmzovr source with the lower end of said riser pipe, and a steamtube connected at opposite ends with the upper end of said riser pipeand with said steam using means respectively, wherein the said U-tubecommunicating with the source of steam is longer than the other saidU-tube communicating with the steam using means.

10. A steam heating system comprising, a steam boiler, steam chambermeans, a steam pipe connecting said boiler and said steam chamber means,separator means situated above the water line of said boiler, connectingmeans providing a duct communicating with said separator means and saidboiler, a riser pipe connecting said steam chamber means with saidseparator means, steam using means draining into said steam chambermeans through water column means, and a steam pipe connecting saidseparator means with said steam using means.

11. A steam heating system comprising, a steam I boiler, steam chambermeans, a steam pipe connecting said boiler and said steam chamber means,separator means situated above the water line of said boiler, connectingmeans providing a duct communicating with said separator means and saidboiler, a riser pipe connecting said steam chamber means with saidseparator means, steam using means constituting the sole heat load ofthe system draining into said steam chamber means through a watercolumn, and a steam pipe connecting said separator means with said steamusing means.

12. A steam heating system comprising, a steam boiler, steam chambermeans, a steam pipe connecting said boiler and said steam chamber means,separator means situated above the water line of said boiler, connectingmeans providing a duct communicating with said separator means and saidboiler, a riser pipe connecting said steam chamber means with saidseparator means, steam using means draining into said steam chambermeans through water column means, and a steam pipe connecting saidseparator means with said steam using means, wherein said ductcommunicating with said separator means and said boiler is adapted toaccommodate a water column of greater height than that water columncontained in said water column means.

13. A steam heating system comprising, a boiler, a chamber meanselevated above said boiler and connected thereto by means of a pipecontaining a water column, radiator means, a chamber means receiving thecondensate from said radiator means through a pipe containing a watercolumn, a steam pipe connecting said last named chamber means and saidboiler, a riser pipe extending from the said second chamber means to thefirst said chamber means, and a pipe to conduct steam from said firstchamber means to said radiator means.

14. A steam heating system comprising, a boil er, chamber means elevatedabove said boiler and connected thereto by means of a pipe containing awater column, radiator means, chamber means receiving the condensatefrom said radiator means through a pipe containing a water column, asteam pipe connecting said last named chamber means and said boiler, ariser pipe extending from the said last named chamber means to the firstsaid chamber means at a level above the water column contained in saidfirst mentioned pipe, and a pipe to conduct steam from said firstchamber means to said radiator means.

15. A steam heating system comprising, a steam boiler at a higher level,a steam radiator at a' lower level, a lower chamber meansinto' which thecondensate from said radiator may normally drain by force of gravity, anupper chamber means situated above the water line in said boiler, a pipeconnecting said upper chamber means to said boiler, a steam pipeconnecting said boiler to said lower chamber means, a riser connectingsaid lower chamber to said upper chamber means, a steam pipe connectingsaid upper chamber means to said radiator, and a return pipe to conductcondensate from said radiator to said lower chamber means.

16. A steam heating system comprising, a boiler, chamber means situatedabove the water line of said boiler and connected thereto by watercolumn means, radiation means, chamber means receiving the condensatefrom said radiation means through water column means, a steam pipeconnecting the upper portion of said last named chamber means with thesteam space of said boiler, a riser pipe extending from a level withinsaid second chamber means to the upper portion of said first chambermeans, and a pipe to conduct steam from said first named chamber meansto said radiation means.

1'? A steam heating system comprising, a steam boiler at a higher level,a steam radiator at a lower level, a lower chamber means into which thecondensate from said radiator may normally drain by force of gravity, anupper chamber means situated above the water-line in said boiler, aboiler-feed pipe connecting said upper chamber means to said boiler,means associated with said boiler-feed pipe to provent back-flowtherethrough, a steam pipe connecting said boiler to said lower chambermeans, a riser connecting said lower chamber means to said upperchamber, a steam pipe connecting said upper'chamber means to saidradiator, and a return pipe to conduct condensate from said radiator tosaid lower chamber means.

18. A steam heating system comprising, a steam boiler at a higher level,a steam radiator at a lower level, a lower chamber means into which thecondensate from said radiator may normally drain by force of gravity, anupper chamber means situated above the water line in said boiler, a pipeconnecting said upper chamber means to said boiler at a point above thewater line therein, a steam pipe connecting said boiler to said lowerchamber means, a riser connecting said lower chamber means to said upperchamber means, a steam pipe connecting said upper chamber means to saidradiator, and a return pipe to conduct condensate from said radiator tosaid lower chamber means.

19. A steam heating system comprising, a steam boiler at a higher level,a steam radiator at a lower level, a lower chamber means into which thecondensate may normally drain by force of gravity, an upper chambermeans situated above the water-line in said boiler, a boiler-feed pipeconnecting said upper chamber means to said boiler at a point above thewater-line therein, means associated with said boiler-feed pipe toprevent backflow therethrough, a steam pipe connecting said boiler tosaid lower chamber means, a riser connecting said lower chamber means tosaid upper chamber means, a steam pipe connecting said upper chambermeans to said radiator, and a return pipe to conduct condensate fromsaid radiator to said lower chamber means.

20. In steam heating systems, a pipe containing a column of water andcommunicating at the lower end of the column with a source of steam,

theisteam pressure opposing the lower end of said. column, a pipecontaining a second column of water and communicating at the upper endof said second column with radiator means, a riser pipe communicatingwith said first mentioned pipe at the upper. end of saidfirst column andwith said second mentioned pipe at the lower end of said second column,asteam pipe communicating with said source and the lower end of saidriser pipe,..so that the lower end of the second column. opposes thepressure of said source, and a pipe to conduct steam from the upper endof, said riser pipe to said radiator means. r r

21. The method of elevating a relatively heavy fluid consisting in, theprovision of a pair of chamber means containing respectively two bodiesof said fluid at different elevations, imposing upon the respectivesurfaces of the said two bodies of fluid a. lighter fluid. flowing underpressure from a common source, displacing the said heavy fluid .upwardlythrough fluid column means from the higher said body of fluid .andthrough a pair of fluid column means in open communication at thebottoms thereof with the said lower body of heavy fluid but at differentelevations therein, maintaining the flow of, said lighter fluid underpressure, and supplying quantitles of said heavy fluid through the topof that one of said pair of column means which is in open communicationwith said lower body of heavy fluid at the lower elevation, to effectthe alternate presentation of the two said fluids at the .bottom of thatone of said pair of column means which is in open communication withsaid lower body of heavy fluid at the higher elevation and theconsequent transit therethrough of alternate quantities of the saidfluids, the heavier thereof being accumulated and united with the fluidcolumn in said column means in communication with said higher body ofheavy fluid, and the lighter said fluid being allowed to escape.

22. The method of elevating condensate consisting in the entrainmentthereof in an upwardly directed current of steam the trapping out ofsaid vcondensate and the subsequent conduction of said current of steaminto the steam using devices from which said condensate is drained.

23. The method of returning condensate to the boiler consisting ininjecting steam from the source into a chamber receiving condensate,directing the steam and condensate entrained thereby to such a levelabove the boiler water line as will permit the condensate to flow backinto the boiler and the steam to flow into the steam using devices.

24. The method of raising the head of return condensate in a systemcomprising a source of steam and condensation means, which consists ofaccumulating the system condensate at a low level by gravity flowthereto, accumulating a water supply for the source at a higher level,directing a flow of steam from the source through a portion of theaccumulated condensate to thereby elevate small detached portions of thecondensate upwardly above the accumulated water supply, and thendirecting the elevated condensate to the water supply and theaccompanying steam to the condensation means.

7 25. In apparatus comprising in combination, a source of steam,separator means above said source of steam and draining thereinto, steamchamber means below said separator means communicating therewith andwith said source of steam, and a radiator lement receiving steam fromsaid separator means and draining into said steam chamber means, themethod of use thereof contemplating the maintenance of a supply of steamin said source and the conduction thereof through the said systemwherein the resulting condensate is entrained in the current of steamflowing from said steam chamber means to said separator means.

RUDOLPH B. PRENTICE.

